Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter on a Plate: A Lavish 5-Course Feast Inspired by Canada's 4 Seasons with Canadian Beef and Wine at Makati's Shangri-La, Manila's Sage Bespoke Grill

From Alberta to Manila, the flavors of Canada's 4 seasons are masterfully recreated and served with the finest Canadian beef and wine in a memorable dinner at Sage Bespoke Grill...

Makati Shangri-La, Manila recreates the rich flavors of Canada's spring, summer, fall and winter with an elegant 5-Course wine pairing feast, Canada's 4 Seasons, at Sage Bespoke Grill in partnership with Canada Beef International Institute and the Canadian Embassy. Shaped by the land and the four seasons, Canada is the perfect place for raising beef and producing wine of the highest quality. And from February 5 to March 28, diners and guests can experience the Great White North's bountiful produce for a memorable taste of Canada. 

And when it comes to quality beef, there's just no place like Sage Bespoke Grill with its curated selection of world-class beef from around the world finished in their Josper Grill (for more on Sage Bespoke Grill, see my posts, Straight From The Josper Grill: A Taste of Sage Bespoke Grill's New Dishes on their previous offerings and #ATasteofArgentina: Discover Bolzico Argentine Beef at Sage Bespoke Grill's A Taste of Argentina featuring Argentine beef). Sage Bespoke Grill unveils yet another taste of the world all the way until March with Canadian beef. And Canadian wine.

That night, Canadian beef takes the spotlight. Cattle production has been an integral part of Canada's history and agricultural tradition for over 300 years. Currently, Canada has more than 63,000 beef cattle farms and ranches spread out across the vast land reaching more than 100 markets around the world. An abundant supply of grain like barley, wheat and corn results in a well-marbled, flavorful and tender beef making it one of the world's best. Blessed by the land and caressed by the four seasons, Canadian beef delivers bold yet clean notes for a savory richness draping the palate with its buttery finish. Each step of the production process follows the strictest world-class standards ensuring both safety and quality, and that's no surprise as raising beef is a craft spanning generations. Stewardship and sustainability continue to play a vital role in Canada's agricultural industry led by its legions of proud farmers. When asked what makes Canadian beef great, it's Canada itself. That's the Canadian Beef Advantage. Sage Bespoke Grill's Chef de Cuisine Sebastian Barcudes collaborates with Canadian Beef Centre of Excellence Executive Director Chef Matthieu Pare for the curated 5-Course Menu combining classic technique with a global culinary spin to showcase Canada's finest.

The special menu takes you deep inside Canada's vast territories with each dish representing the seasons. The tables were set for the evening's preview as Sage Bespoke Grill's Chef de Cuisine Sebastian Barcudes and Trade Commissioner for the Embassy of Canada, Ms. Angel Cachuela, welcomed guests for the exclusive dinner.

Binding each dish together is a bottle of premium Canadian wine from Pillitteri Estates Winery, a family run vineyard located in Niagara on the Lake. The inspiring story of Canadian wine is as colorful and diverse as the vast lands with the Pillitteri family's own story beginning in Sicily before moving to Canada in 1948. After purchasing just over a hundred acres of land in picturesque Niagara back in 1965, what began as a fruit market soon evolved into a world class winery starting with small batches of Vidal Icewine. Today, Pillitteri Estate Wines produces 100,000 cases following the stringent Vintners Quality Alliance (VQA) standards. Canada's infinite landscape and seasons produces not only one of the world's best beef, but exquisite wine as well (for more on Canadian wine, see my earlier post, The Secret's Out: Discovering Canadian Wine).

Our dinner began with a glass of Pillitteri Cabernet Merlot VQA 2013 from Niagara on the Lake, a soothing medium-bodied dry red with hints of tart berries and bold spices. Complex yet smooth, the Pillitteri Cabernet Merlot pairs well with the rich and rustic notes of the first course...

Chef de Cuisine Sebastian Barcudes served the first course of our Canadian feast, La Bouilli de Grand Maman, a comforting consomme or clear soup inspired by the flavors of the Canadian spring. A restorative dish using fresh vegetables prepared after a long and cold winter, the rich soup warms both the palate and body.  

Enriched with Canadian beef stock, the deceptive lightness of the consomme delivers deep and flavorful notes enhanced by the subtle fresh sweetness of the young vegetables completed by the delicate Truffle Celestine or soft dumplings. It's the flavors of the Canadian spring in a bowl. Don't forget to ask for some freshly ground pepper, they do it in style here at Sage Bespoke Grill. 

The refreshingly crisp Pillitteri VQA Gewurztraminer Riesling 2017 brings the flavors of the Canadian summer with light hints of peaches and lemon lime zest for bright sunny notes...

...pairing well the next course. The flavors of the Canadian summer come alive in a colorfully plated dish, the Reef and Range on the Three Summer Sisters, an elegant take on the classic surf and turf with Confit Canadian Spot Prawn and Beef Cheeks Tortellini with beans, squash and corn. The "Three Sisters" of beans, squash and corn mark the start of summer and often served together, and Chef de Cuisine Sebastian Barcudes perfectly captures the season's fresh harvest of flavors. 

The plump and succulent Confit Canadian Spot Prawn delivers an audible snap with each bite, releasing a briny sweetness. The soft tortellini stuffed with melt-in-your-mouth beef cheeks adds a rich and savory burst of flavor to the dish, mellowed by the fresh flavors of the beans, squash and corn. There is a delicate and elegant lightness to the dish, yet the flavors are as bright as the season it represents. The Pillitteri VQA Gewurztraminer Riesling 2017 cleanses the palate complementing the fresh flavors of the dish. 

The Pillitteri Exclamation Merlot VQA 2015 is an elegant expression of the prized varietal with pronounced notes of blackberries, black cherries, candied licorice and blueberries followed by a whisper of dark chocolate and plums with a velvety smooth finish. The bold profiles signals the arrival of the next rich and savory dish...

...the Beef Chuck 2 Ways with with baked cauliflower, beef fat rosemary potatoes and selection of mustards to usher the arrival of Fall. The season marks the beginning of the cold season, as well as hunting season in Canada. This means outdoor barbecues, grilled low and slow over charcoal paired with rich sauces. 

The grilled beef chuck delivers bold beefy notes followed by gentle hints of smokiness...

...while the braised beef chuck just melts in your mouth draping your palate with a savory richness. The flavorful duo offers contrasting yet equally rich flavors highlighting the qualities of Canadian beef. Grilled or braised, the versatility of Canadian beef is limited only by your imagination. 

The Pillitteri Riserva Cabernet Franc Appassimento VQA 2012 is one of Niagara's signature grape varieties with notes of dark plums and cherries followed by vanilla, licorice and spice for a complex yet elegantly smooth finish. It's the perfect pairing for the main course...

...the Wood Grilled Prime Ribeye with charred cabbage, honey glazed turnips and mustard jus recreating the smoky notes and preserved vegetables of the Canadian autumn. The prime Canadian ribeye may be the star of the plate, but the supporting cast of smoky charred cabbage and crisp honey glazed turnips just completes the dish with its fresh and clean notes.

The lightly grilled outer layer reveals a juicy pink center, and one bite delivers a bold burst of beefy flavors followed by a mildly nutty and buttery richness. This is Canadian beef, with all the flavors and abundance of the land concentrated with each bite. And you don't need any sauce at all with beef this good. From the very first bite all the way to the last, the ribeye with its delicate marbling captures the smoky notes of the Canadian autumn. The coming of fall means winter is just around the corner...

And what better way to celebrate winter's arrival than with a glass of Canadian Icewine. Hand-picked and pressed while still frozen, the sugar concentrations of the grapes used for Canada's famous Icewines are at its flavorful peak resulting in its signature sweet smoothness and richness. The tedious process of producing Canada's famed icewines begins at the vineyards in the cold winter followed by the delicate balance of sugar, alcohol and acidity based on strict standards at the cellars. The Pillitteri Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon Icewine VQA 2013 is a worthy expression of the reserve icewine label with nuanced notes of berries, lime and vanilla finished by its characteristic sweetness. 

Chef de Cuisine Sebastian Barcudes pairs the Pillitteri Cabernet Sauvignon Icewine with his Pumpkin Spice Sticky Toffee Pudding with dark beer sorbet, dried fruits and nuts, an elegant dessert that captures the joys of winter. The indulgent flavors trigger nostalgic memories of the holidays, while the dark beer sorbet brings yet another rich layer of flavor to the elegant dessert.

From starters to mains and dessert, Chef de Cuisine Sebastian Barcudes brings Canada's seasons to your table in a memorable 5-Course dining experience at Sage Bespoke Grill. Priced at P3,500++, Canada's 4 Seasons at Sage Bespoke Grill transports you to the Great White North, one season and plate at a time. Canada's 4 Seasons will be available at Sage Bespoke Grill until March 28, but why wait. Book you reservation now...

Sage Bespoke Grill is located at  the second level of Makati Shangri-La, Manila, Ayala Avenue corner Makati Avenue, Makati City or call (632) 8814-2580 or email rric.slm@shangri-la.com for inquiries and reservations.

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